Bradley Suspended for the Rest of the Season

[A-Cal]

i am guessing this is our "big offseason thread"

 

which one was bigger BRob or Peavy?

 

i wonder if bradley can compete...

[TruffleShuffle]

To tell the truth, if some GM had done this at the beginning of Bradley's career, he might be an angry greeter at Walmart instead of a ML ballplayer.

 

Well that makes no damn sense.

 

There are thousands of outstanding baseball players, football players, and basketball players who are playing pickup games because they couldn't accept the discipline necessary to fit into a team situation and follow some simple rules like play hard, shut up, show up, show up on time, and show respect your team mates and coach.

 

i don't think wal-mart is going to put someone angry by the doors to greet patrons with a hearty "[expletive] you"

[17 Seconds]

This is absurd.

 

The fact that Bradley was suspended is Hendry handling the situation badly. That's all the proof that's needed. At best, Hendry doesn't screw up further by trading Milton, but even at that, he's turned the fans even further against a volatile player. At worst, he completely tanked Bradley's value and feels forced to ship him out of town for nothing to save face with the fanbase.

 

There is absolutely no valid case for this suspension from business or baseball perspectives... and Hendry's job is managing those two interests. He screwed up badly. The fact that a handful of players on a non-playoff team are going to be happier for the final three weeks of the season does nothing to alleviate that.

 

The fans already booed him every step he took. The status quo was unacceptable. They couldn't just have Milton repeatedly insulting the organization and the fans, refusing to play and fighting with personel.

 

Why couldn't they? You're basically saying that personal feelings and what the fans think are valid reasons for making a decision. When you're making big decisions based on fans and feelings, you're failing at your job.

 

Can somebody find that quote from Hendry years ago about this very situation? It was something like "the day I let the fans dictate what decision I make is the day I am no longer doing my job."

 

Well, that's exactly what he's doing.

 

This season was already lost. Bradley can do or say whatever he wants the rest of the season, it's hurting NOTHING. You know what DOES hurt? Suspending a guy and diminishing what little value he had left.

 

From a business perspective, there was absolutely no advantage of suspending him. NONE. He did it for personal feelings and to please the fans. That's really awful.

[17 Seconds]

This is absurd.

 

The fact that Bradley was suspended is Hendry handling the situation badly. That's all the proof that's needed. At best, Hendry doesn't screw up further by trading Milton, but even at that, he's turned the fans even further against a volatile player. At worst, he completely tanked Bradley's value and feels forced to ship him out of town for nothing to save face with the fanbase.

 

There is absolutely no valid case for this suspension from business or baseball perspectives... and Hendry's job is managing those two interests. He screwed up badly. The fact that a handful of players on a non-playoff team are going to be happier for the final three weeks of the season does nothing to alleviate that.

 

The fans already booed him every step he took. The status quo was unacceptable. They couldn't just have Milton repeatedly insulting the organization and the fans, refusing to play and fighting with personel.

 

It's a perfectly valid suspension and it's laughable that you think otherwise. Every team knew the Cubs/Milton relationship was growing sour, the fact that Hendry acknowledged it with a suspension is meaningless. Guys can't be given all the rope they want. At some point in time, you have to call them out. He didn't screw up a damn thing.

 

Bradley could walk through Wrigley after every home game and personally flip off each and every single fan and I couldn't care less, just so long as he doesn't hurt himself walking up and down those stairs. He's paid for his production on the field.

 

Likewise, Hendry isn't paid to have the happiest team in the league. Hendry's entire job consists of getting the best team out on the field. This suspension is counterproductive to that end. And for what? What possible gain is there to be had from this? It's not even as if Bradley was breaking any laws... oh, which reminds me.

 

Players have not been suspended this long for beating on their wives.

 

In what world is this punishment remotely fair or justifiable?

 

 

Punishment ?? In what world is suspending a player with full pay, who was not playing anyway, and made it clear he did not want to, at least with the Cubs, considered punishment.

 

Bradley acted like a child. Hendry decided to treat him like one.

 

At the expense of the organization's future.

[17 Seconds]

 

Bradley could walk through Wrigley after every home game and personally flip off each and every single fan and I couldn't care less, just so long as he doesn't hurt himself walking up and down those stairs. He's paid for his production on the field.

 

 

If you owned the team you'd have a different view. It's bad business to have anyone insulting your product. You have to have some kind of rules in place or your organization goes really bad in a hurry. The fact remains that Bradley was a bad business decision in every since of the word this year.

 

It's absurd that you think insulting fans and the organization is acceptable behavior.

 

In baseball, the fanbase is pretty much set already. The question is whether or not you can get them to pay attention. You know what accomplishes that? Winning. And like it or not, Bradley can help us win. I have a very hard time believing the millions upon millions he can help bring in if we get to the playoffs next year is really outweighed by a few inappropriate comments that probably wont have any effect upon revenues.

 

That's not to say I agree with what Milton is doing. He's a jerk, and I don't much care for him on a personal level. But this kind of decision is bad on the business end and the baseball end. If you feel the need to stop him from making those comments, you need to find a better way to accomplish it. This wasn't productive.

 

Well at least you are right about one thing... winning could have helped ease the situation. For one, I'm sure if the Cubs were headed to the playoffs, Bradley wouldn't have said "no wonder they haven't won in 100 years" Unfortunately the Cubs weren't winning. Other than that, you have to be kidding. A baseball franchise wants to alienate its fanbase? and they can because they are already built in? :rotfl: There is not an owner/GM in his right mind that thinks it is good business to have players making fun of or alienating the fans.

 

So you're saying that it would have hurt business if Bradley wasn't suspended? You think people were going to stop buying tickets and merchandise because of what he said?

[Sosa21MVP]

To tell the truth, if some GM had done this at the beginning of Bradley's career, he might be an angry greeter at Walmart instead of a ML ballplayer.

 

Well that makes no damn sense.

 

There are thousands of outstanding baseball players, football players, and basketball players who are playing pickup games because they couldn't accept the discipline necessary to fit into a team situation and follow some simple rules like play hard, shut up, show up, show up on time, and show respect your team mates and coach.

 

i don't think wal-mart is going to put someone angry by the doors to greet patrons with a hearty "[expletive] you"

 

Actually that would be pretty awesome.

[Sosa21MVP]

All I'm going to say about this whole situation is that if Hendry really does intend to trade Bradley then the suspension is a crap idea because why reduce his potential value like that? It makes no sense. Also I have a hard time believing the only reason he was suspended was for those remarks about the 100 years thing. It has to be a cumulative thing. If not, then........whatever.

 

I mean Jim had to know he was signing a jackass. And I don't believe Milton is any bigger of a jackass now then he was before he became a Cub. So going forward, honestly the question to me is whether the guys in the clubhouse feel like he is a distraction to the team or not. If they are willing to put up with him, so be it. Keep him. If not, get rid of him.

[Connor McConnor]

This is absurd.

 

The fact that Bradley was suspended is Hendry handling the situation badly. That's all the proof that's needed. At best, Hendry doesn't screw up further by trading Milton, but even at that, he's turned the fans even further against a volatile player. At worst, he completely tanked Bradley's value and feels forced to ship him out of town for nothing to save face with the fanbase.

 

There is absolutely no valid case for this suspension from business or baseball perspectives... and Hendry's job is managing those two interests. He screwed up badly. The fact that a handful of players on a non-playoff team are going to be happier for the final three weeks of the season does nothing to alleviate that.

 

The fans already booed him every step he took. The status quo was unacceptable. They couldn't just have Milton repeatedly insulting the organization and the fans, refusing to play and fighting with personel.

 

Why couldn't they? You're basically saying that personal feelings and what the fans think are valid reasons for making a decision. When you're making big decisions based on fans and feelings, you're failing at your job.

 

Can somebody find that quote from Hendry years ago about this very situation? It was something like "the day I let the fans dictate what decision I make is the day I am no longer doing my job."

 

Well, that's exactly what he's doing.

 

This season was already lost. Bradley can do or say whatever he wants the rest of the season, it's hurting NOTHING. You know what DOES hurt? Suspending a guy and diminishing what little value he had left.

 

From a business perspective, there was absolutely no advantage of suspending him. NONE. He did it for personal feelings and to please the fans. That's really awful.

 

I agree with this....except there may be something that happened which we do not know about.

Edited September 25, 2009 by LemmeHearYa

[C.C.]

This is absurd.

 

The fact that Bradley was suspended is Hendry handling the situation badly. That's all the proof that's needed. At best, Hendry doesn't screw up further by trading Milton, but even at that, he's turned the fans even further against a volatile player. At worst, he completely tanked Bradley's value and feels forced to ship him out of town for nothing to save face with the fanbase.

 

There is absolutely no valid case for this suspension from business or baseball perspectives... and Hendry's job is managing those two interests. He screwed up badly. The fact that a handful of players on a non-playoff team are going to be happier for the final three weeks of the season does nothing to alleviate that.

 

The fans already booed him every step he took. The status quo was unacceptable. They couldn't just have Milton repeatedly insulting the organization and the fans, refusing to play and fighting with personel.

 

Why couldn't they? You're basically saying that personal feelings and what the fans think are valid reasons for making a decision. When you're making big decisions based on fans and feelings, you're failing at your job.

 

Can somebody find that quote from Hendry years ago about this very situation? It was something like "the day I let the fans dictate what decision I make is the day I am no longer doing my job."

 

Well, that's exactly what he's doing.

 

This season was already lost. Bradley can do or say whatever he wants the rest of the season, it's hurting NOTHING. You know what DOES hurt? Suspending a guy and diminishing what little value he had left.

 

From a business perspective, there was absolutely no advantage of suspending him. NONE. He did it for personal feelings and to please the fans. That's really awful.

 

This isn't about Hendry and his feelings. This is about Bradley acting like an idiot for the entire year. Hendry and Lou pushed for and believed in this guy, and he crapped all over the whole organization. The Cubs gave him 30 million dollars and a 3 year deal. That's how much they respected the guy, and it wasn't reciprocated. If you are going to under perform that's fine. No one can predict how ones going to do year after year, but at least have the class to respect the team and the org. That's not a hard thing to do, and Bradley didn't do it.

 

You can't have a player diss the fans, players, and org and not discipline him.

[Keener98]

This is absurd.

 

The fact that Bradley was suspended is Hendry handling the situation badly. That's all the proof that's needed. At best, Hendry doesn't screw up further by trading Milton, but even at that, he's turned the fans even further against a volatile player. At worst, he completely tanked Bradley's value and feels forced to ship him out of town for nothing to save face with the fanbase.

 

There is absolutely no valid case for this suspension from business or baseball perspectives... and Hendry's job is managing those two interests. He screwed up badly. The fact that a handful of players on a non-playoff team are going to be happier for the final three weeks of the season does nothing to alleviate that.

 

The fans already booed him every step he took. The status quo was unacceptable. They couldn't just have Milton repeatedly insulting the organization and the fans, refusing to play and fighting with personel.

 

Why couldn't they? You're basically saying that personal feelings and what the fans think are valid reasons for making a decision. When you're making big decisions based on fans and feelings, you're failing at your job.

 

Can somebody find that quote from Hendry years ago about this very situation? It was something like "the day I let the fans dictate what decision I make is the day I am no longer doing my job."

 

Well, that's exactly what he's doing.

 

This season was already lost. Bradley can do or say whatever he wants the rest of the season, it's hurting NOTHING. You know what DOES hurt? Suspending a guy and diminishing what little value he had left.

 

From a business perspective, there was absolutely no advantage of suspending him. NONE. He did it for personal feelings and to please the fans. That's really awful.

 

This isn't about Hendry and his feelings. This is about Bradley acting like an idiot for the entire year. Hendry and Lou pushed for and believed in this guy, and he crapped all over the whole organization. The Cubs gave him 30 million dollars and a 3 year deal. That's how much they respected the guy, and it wasn't reciprocated. If you are going to under perform that's fine. No one can predict how ones going to do year after year, but at least have the class to respect the team and the org. That's not a hard thing to do, and Bradley didn't do it.

 

You can't have a player diss the fans, players, and org and not discipline him.

 

Oh you cant? So then why hasnt Z ever been suspended? Hes punched a player on his own team, hes got into a verbal arguement on the mound with his manager, and hes made quotes this year about wanting traded because hes tired of this....Double standards gotta love them

[A-Cal]

This is absurd.

 

The fact that Bradley was suspended is Hendry handling the situation badly. That's all the proof that's needed. At best, Hendry doesn't screw up further by trading Milton, but even at that, he's turned the fans even further against a volatile player. At worst, he completely tanked Bradley's value and feels forced to ship him out of town for nothing to save face with the fanbase.

 

There is absolutely no valid case for this suspension from business or baseball perspectives... and Hendry's job is managing those two interests. He screwed up badly. The fact that a handful of players on a non-playoff team are going to be happier for the final three weeks of the season does nothing to alleviate that.

 

The fans already booed him every step he took. The status quo was unacceptable. They couldn't just have Milton repeatedly insulting the organization and the fans, refusing to play and fighting with personel.

 

Why couldn't they? You're basically saying that personal feelings and what the fans think are valid reasons for making a decision. When you're making big decisions based on fans and feelings, you're failing at your job.

 

Can somebody find that quote from Hendry years ago about this very situation? It was something like "the day I let the fans dictate what decision I make is the day I am no longer doing my job."

 

Well, that's exactly what he's doing.

 

This season was already lost. Bradley can do or say whatever he wants the rest of the season, it's hurting NOTHING. You know what DOES hurt? Suspending a guy and diminishing what little value he had left.

 

From a business perspective, there was absolutely no advantage of suspending him. NONE. He did it for personal feelings and to please the fans. That's really awful.

 

This isn't about Hendry and his feelings. This is about Bradley acting like an idiot for the entire year. Hendry and Lou pushed for and believed in this guy, and he crapped all over the whole organization. The Cubs gave him 30 million dollars and a 3 year deal. That's how much they respected the guy, and it wasn't reciprocated. If you are going to under perform that's fine. No one can predict how ones going to do year after year, but at least have the class to respect the team and the org. That's not a hard thing to do, and Bradley didn't do it.

 

You can't have a player diss the fans, players, and org and not discipline him.

 

Oh you cant? So then why hasnt Z ever been suspended? Hes punched a player on his own team, hes got into a verbal arguement on the mound with his manager, and hes made quotes this year about wanting traded because hes tired of this....Double standards gotta love them

 

round 3?

[CubColtPacer]

To tell the truth, if some GM had done this at the beginning of Bradley's career, he might be an angry greeter at Walmart instead of a ML ballplayer.

 

Well that makes no damn sense.

 

There are thousands of outstanding baseball players, football players, and basketball players who are playing pickup games because they couldn't accept the discipline necessary to fit into a team situation and follow some simple rules like play hard, shut up, show up, show up on time, and show respect your team mates and coach.

 

True, but you when you have the talent of Bradley other teams will typically want you.

 

Somebody was willing to trade for him after he got into an altercation with his own manager as a member of the Indians even after they demoted him for it.

 

He was supposedly about to be suspended in LA in 2005 for the rest of the season when he hurt his knee. The other players in the clubhouse told Colletti that Bradley had to go. Still another team wanted him.

 

He fought with the manager and GM in Oakland over playing time and it was bad enough for them to start the process of cutting him. And yet they were able to find a willing taker for him.

 

And some team will probably be willing to take a chance on Bradley now (albeit not for very much money). If you have the skills, teams always think they can be the team where the behavior will suddenly get better.

 

GM's have been doing this sort of thing to Bradley for a large part of his career but he is still a ML ballplayer because of his talent level.

[loukycub]

forgive me for not accepting the popular groupthink that milton Bradley could have helped us win this year and next year. by that logic Aaron miles and joey gathright and neal cotts could have helped us win this year too.

 

there is more to being a professional athlete these days than just helping your team win like community relations. he got pissy (dunno if that word is kosher here, if not i'll change it) when he overheard a couple of waiters badmouthing him.

 

so let's say that jim does bring milton back next year. how is he going to react when he slumps next year like most players will and the fans get on his case and start booing him again? past history suggests a repeat of this year's behavior. are y'all suggesting that the players, who pretty clearly stated they were tired of his act through 140 games, are going to put up with his act next year knowing what they know this year?

 

hendry is right when he says when he starts making decisions based on fans desires he's not doing his job. but when it is so glaringly obvious that a blind man could see a player needs to be moved, a gm is doing a disservice to his team not to move him.

[Rob]

 

Well at least you are right about one thing... winning could have helped ease the situation. For one, I'm sure if the Cubs were headed to the playoffs, Bradley wouldn't have said "no wonder they haven't won in 100 years" Unfortunately the Cubs weren't winning. Other than that, you have to be kidding. A baseball franchise wants to alienate its fanbase? and they can because they are already built in? :rotfl: There is not an owner/GM in his right mind that thinks it is good business to have players making fun of or alienating the fans.

 

Bradley talks crap about the Cubs fans and organizations... how much money do you think we lose?

 

Bradley helps take the Cubs to the playoffs next season.... how much money do you think we gain?

 

I'll give you a hint. One of these numbers is MUCH larger than the other.

[Rob]

forgive me for not accepting the popular groupthink that milton Bradley could have helped us win this year and next year. by that logic Aaron miles and joey gathright and neal cotts could have helped us win this year too.

 

Something tells me you don't understand the logic if you are trying to extend it to those guys.

[CUBZ99]

 

Well at least you are right about one thing... winning could have helped ease the situation. For one, I'm sure if the Cubs were headed to the playoffs, Bradley wouldn't have said "no wonder they haven't won in 100 years" Unfortunately the Cubs weren't winning. Other than that, you have to be kidding. A baseball franchise wants to alienate its fanbase? and they can because they are already built in? :rotfl: There is not an owner/GM in his right mind that thinks it is good business to have players making fun of or alienating the fans.

 

Bradley talks crap about the Cubs fans and organizations... how much money do you think we lose?

 

Bradley helps take the Cubs to the playoffs next season.... how much money do you think we gain?

 

I'll give you a hint. One of these numbers is MUCH larger than the other.

 

So now you are arguing with me on the point that I agree with you on? This thread is getting funny.

[Rob]

 

Well at least you are right about one thing... winning could have helped ease the situation. For one, I'm sure if the Cubs were headed to the playoffs, Bradley wouldn't have said "no wonder they haven't won in 100 years" Unfortunately the Cubs weren't winning. Other than that, you have to be kidding. A baseball franchise wants to alienate its fanbase? and they can because they are already built in? :rotfl: There is not an owner/GM in his right mind that thinks it is good business to have players making fun of or alienating the fans.

 

Bradley talks crap about the Cubs fans and organizations... how much money do you think we lose?

 

Bradley helps take the Cubs to the playoffs next season.... how much money do you think we gain?

 

I'll give you a hint. One of these numbers is MUCH larger than the other.

 

So now you are arguing with me on the point that I agree with you on? This thread is getting funny.

 

Forgive me for not understanding that you tried to agree with part of my post... yours was kind of a mess of disjointed thoughts with no real coherence to it. Not to mention that the conclusions you are drawing from my post are absurd... Where did I try to say it was good business to alienate the fans? I just said winning was more important.

[loukycub]

forgive me for not accepting the popular groupthink that milton Bradley could have helped us win this year and next year. by that logic Aaron miles and joey gathright and neal cotts could have helped us win this year too.

 

Something tells me you don't understand the logic if you are trying to extend it to those guys.

 

actually i understand it perfectly. the logic is good. the argument is poor. i don't think you understand how vacuous the argument is. it doesn't make sense to say that player x was brought in to help win this year. by that definition EVERY player who is brought in by teams are brought in to help win this year. the argument should be to help make us better. and by that definition, he's failed.

 

he's played enough games to have a fairly good sample size to look at. with the exception of hits, runs, base on balls, and on base percentages, according to yahoo sports as of today before the game, mike fontenot is the same player as milton bradley statistically with 30 less at bats. their slugging pecentages differ by 7 hundreths of a point. bradley has 3 more home runs. fontenot hits better from the left side than bradley. we are paying $10 for slightly better than mike fontenot numbers this year. and yahoo doesn't list other stats like average with runners on or in scoring position where we know what that number is for bradley. i see people on this message board talk about possibly shipping off fontenot in trade opportunities. when talking strictly what he has done on the field, by this logic talks about trading bradley are equally as valid. i have pretty much stated as much in this thread. i don't want bradley around because he doesn't help any to the offense.

 

these numbers don't lie. and with no one really hitting other than lee and ramirez this year bradley adds as much to the offense as mike fontenot. getting on base means nothing if no one brings you in.

[Keener98]

with the exception of hits, runs, base on balls, and on base percentages,

 

Hahaha wtf does this even mean? Hell Aaron Miles and DLee are essentially the same with the exception of hits, runs, bases on balls, OBP, HR's RBI's, but other than that they are essentially the same.

 

Seriously your statement may be one of the most absurd statements ever written on this board, and wow thats saying alot.

[cbbryan]

forgive me for not accepting the popular groupthink that milton Bradley could have helped us win this year and next year. by that logic Aaron miles and joey gathright and neal cotts could have helped us win this year too.

 

 

 

Wow! Seriously?

[Guest]

The latest podcast gives an...interesting take on the Bradley situation.

[Rob]

forgive me for not accepting the popular groupthink that milton Bradley could have helped us win this year and next year. by that logic Aaron miles and joey gathright and neal cotts could have helped us win this year too.

 

Something tells me you don't understand the logic if you are trying to extend it to those guys.

 

actually i understand it perfectly. the logic is good. the argument is poor. i don't think you understand how vacuous the argument is. it doesn't make sense to say that player x was brought in to help win this year. by that definition EVERY player who is brought in by teams are brought in to help win this year. the argument should be to help make us better. and by that definition, he's failed.

 

he's played enough games to have a fairly good sample size to look at. with the exception of hits, runs, base on balls, and on base percentages, according to yahoo sports as of today before the game, mike fontenot is the same player as milton bradley statistically with 30 less at bats. their slugging pecentages differ by 7 hundreths of a point. bradley has 3 more home runs. fontenot hits better from the left side than bradley. we are paying $10 for slightly better than mike fontenot numbers this year. and yahoo doesn't list other stats like average with runners on or in scoring position where we know what that number is for bradley. i see people on this message board talk about possibly shipping off fontenot in trade opportunities. when talking strictly what he has done on the field, by this logic talks about trading bradley are equally as valid. i have pretty much stated as much in this thread. i don't want bradley around because he doesn't help any to the offense.

 

these numbers don't lie. and with no one really hitting other than lee and ramirez this year bradley adds as much to the offense as mike fontenot. getting on base means nothing if no one brings you in.

 

You know, normally I'd just launch headlong into this and point out exactly what's wrong with the way you tried to evaluate Bradley. But just this once, before I go to the trouble let me ask you this.

 

Do you want to learn how to properly evaluate a player statistically? We wouldn't even have to apply it to Bradley... we could just teach you some of the basics. Because you are obviously very confused.

[Banedon]

with the exception of hits, runs, base on balls, and on base percentages, according to yahoo sports as of today before the game, mike fontenot is the same player as milton bradley statistically with 30 less at bats.

 

With the exception of looks, talent, money, and a heaping helping of crazy sauce, I'm essentially the same person as Tom Cruise.

[wvcbxl]

With the exception of looks, talent, money, and a heaping helping of crazy sauce, I'm essentially the same person as Tom Cruise.

 

So you admit you pull the same quality of women. 8-)

Tip of the cap to you, sir.

[Banedon]

With the exception of looks, talent, money, and a heaping helping of crazy sauce, I'm essentially the same person as Tom Cruise.

 

So you admit you pull the same quality of women. 8-)

Tip of the cap to you, sir.

 

Eh...I figured that went with the looks difference.